Tent



June 5, 1928.

S. A. COU PAL TENT Filed Aug. 13, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 5, 1928. 1,672,306

5. A. COUPAL TENT Filed Aug. 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JAY/e A, (51/,60/

Patented June 5, 1928.

UNITED- STATES;

SIXTE ARMAND COUPAL, 0F GRANESRPASS, OREGON.v

TENTI Application filed August'13, 1926; Serial No. 129,007.

This invention relates to tents of the pyramidal type disclosed'in' my prior application, Serial No. 39,57 filed June 25, 1925, of which this: applicationis" a division inpart.

Intheconstruction and use of tents of comparatively small size embodying my invention I have found it desirable and advan t-ageous to arrange the main bracing connections between the frame staffs atthebaseof the tent structure, wherebythe desired brac-- ing effect may be'obtained without thenecessity of employing sets of braces atditferent elevationsbetween the upper and lower endsofithe statts. One object of my present invention, therefore, is" to" provide; a frame structure having'ibracingmeans of this character. v

In this application Ihave also set forth and claimed a type of coupler head for uniting the upperends of the frame staffs, which coupler head was shown anddescribed, but not claimed, in my aforesaid prior application.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter full-y described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view'of a set up tent constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tetrapod truss frame, showing the bracing and coupling connections between the upper ends of the stafls.

Figure 3-is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing-the upper ends of'two of the staffs and the connection of the'coupler ring and coupler head! therewith. V

Figure 4 is a section through the bottom of the tent, showing: the horizontal brace connection between two of the st'afls.

Figure 5"is a longitudinal section through one of the stafis.

Figure 6} is a horizontal section through the upper ends ofthe staffs and the arms, of the coupler head and showing the coupler ring in engagement therewith.

Figure 7 is a viewin elevation looking toward the outer' sideof one of th'estaifs and the other parts shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a, section taken-substantially on line 8 -8 of Figure 7'.

Figure 9 is afhorizontal section through one of the stafis and the end of the-horizon tal brace hinged :thereto;

Figure 10' is a sectional plan View of. a: portion ofthe tetrapod frame: showing two of thestaffs and the associated horizontal;

braces.

In carrying'my invention ll'ltO'PDflCtICQ I provide a tent 1, made of'canvas, ducking-or other suitable: material I and having tour sidesror walls 2, each of triangular shape-'amli producing a tent body of: pyramidal form; This tent body is provided with a: fioonor bottom wall '3, which may be of heavy canvas, ducking, or other' heavy tent material, and which is joined to thelower edges of the Walls 2". Thisflexible tent bottom closes the base ofthe-tentbod y against" the entrance of dirt, dust, snow, rain, etc., and' also against the entrance of any disturbing gustsofair liable in stormy" weather to: disturb the equilibrium or stability of the tent structures One ofthe walls 2 of the tent structure may be provided with any suitable typeof door 4' to afford ingress and-egress to the occupants thereof.

The tent body is held supported and its py-' ramidal' conformation maintained by an internal framinghaving supporting and brac ing characteristics. This framing is oftet rapod type and embodies four corner sta'fls or legs 5, each preferably 0t extension type; said stafi's being arranged at the cornea angles of-t'hewalls along the fold lines there of'and extending from the bottom to the top or apex of the tent body; Aform of extension staff which maybe advantageously employed is shown in Figure 5-, said staii comprising two telescopic sect-ionsfi and 7, the top section 7'being' adapted to telescope; within; and to be extended from the base section 6. As shown, thesecti'on-fi is provided at its upper endwith an inturned flange 8 and belowthesame with an i'nturned flange or stop 9, while the lower or inner endof the section 7 is formed-to provide an outturned flange 105 The flange IO-of. the section 7 isadapted to abut against the sto Lflange 9 ofthe section 5 when said section is fully extended, and whereby: its outward movement'is limited. Aspring;pressed"latch pin 11 is provided at; thelower end-of1section 7 for. engagement with the flange ofthe section 6 to hold the section 'fext'ende'd and 12 will be normally pressed outward by the spring action of the limbs, so that saidarms will move to projectedyposition to overlie the flange 8 when the section 7 is drawn out to its fullest eiztent and will lock said section 7 from inward movement. WVhen it is desired to collapse the section 7, this may be accomplished by pressing inwardly upon the arms 12 to cause them to recede and pass the flange 8 to permit the section 7 to be telescoped within the section 6.

The four extension props or legs 5, constructed as above-described, are adapted to be coupled at their upper ends and properly braced at their upper and lower ends to hold them in stack formation. For this purpose the sections 7 of the arms are provided at their upper ends and in their outer sides with slots or notches 14 to receive a coupler band or ring 15, which holds them assembled and in properly spaced relationship. A coupler head-16 is provided for further uniting the upper ends of the staffs and holding them in assembled relationship and locking the ring against any possibility' of casual displacement. This head comprises a pair of inverted U-shaped members 17, preferably made of spring strap metal and arranged at right angles to each other. The bights or return bend portions of these members are arranged in crossed relation and connected by a fastening means such as a bolt'18. The arms 19 of these members bear and are arranged so as to extend into the upper ends of the tubular leg sections 7 so asto lie between the slot engaging portions of the ring 15 and the wall portions of the members 7 above and below said slots so as to lock the ring against displacement from the slots and the legs from relative inward movement. Each arm 19is provided with a locking pin or detent 20 to engage a keeper opening 21 in the section 7 to hold it in operative position. The locking pins are held in engagement with the keeper openings by the bowing or spring action of the arms 19. which have sufficient resiliency to permit them to bepressed back for a releasing action so that the parts can be readily disconnected. when desired. This construction provides a type of bracing connection, in the form ofthe ring 15, and coupler connection in the form of the head 16, whereby the upper ends of the staffs will be held securely connected and braced, and which admits of their ready and easy assemblage and disassemblage. The bolt 18 may form a pivotal connection between the coupler members 17, whereby, when the coupler is disconnecttensible from the section 23. The outer end of section 23 is provided with flanges 25 and 26 similar to flanges 8 and 9 of staff section 6, while section 24 is provided with a stop flange 27 similar to flange 10 of staff section 7, and the section 24 is further provided with a V-shaped latch member 28 havingslatch arms 29 extending outwardly through open ings in the section. 24 and adapted for locking'engagement with the flange 29 to hold the section 24 against recession when in extended position. Each staff '5 carries one of the braces 22 which is detachably hinged thereto, the outer end of section 23 being provided with a flattened knuckle 30 fitting between the arms of a forked bracket 31 secured to the section 6 of the staff 5 and pivwith an opening 33 for reception of the free end of a bracing member extending from another stafi. When the bracing members are swung outward from the staffs to which they are hinged. and engaged at their free ends with the opposed staffs, a rectangular bottom bracing frame will be formed extending-along the walls of the tent adjacent to the bottom 3 and connecting the staffs at their lower ends in a firm and durable manner, as will be readily understood. By employing this bracing construction at the bottom of the tetrapod frame, a bracing connection of adequate strengthfor the frame below its top is provided for tents of comparatively small size, whereby the use of intermediate braces may-be obviated and the tent structure simplified to that extent. When the staffsfrare disconnected and collapsed in taking down the tent, the bracing members may also be collapsed and folded.

through their hinge pin connections 32 up against the collapsed staffs 5 and parallel therewith, so that the parts of the frame structure may be conveniently fastened together for package in close compass for storage or transportation. The construction described also adapts the brace members to be disconnected from the staffs for separate packing when desired or for convenience in repairing the parts of the frame or substituting new parts for damaged ones.

The tent may be set up for use by placing the tetrapod frame elements on the inside of the tent body and erecting the frame structure in an obvious manner, which operation may be performed within a very short space of time. By reversing this operation, the frame structure may be disassembled and the parts thereof collapsed and packed with the collapsed tent in very close compass for storage or transportation. It. will thus be seen that the tent structure affords great convenience in setting up and taking down operations, as well as in transporting the same on marches or from place to place for use, and in storing the same away when its use is not required.

The present invention provides a tent structure which is of a geometric formation like that disclosed in my aforesaid prior application, No. 39,574, with the same advantage of great strength and maximum resistance against weight collapse or wind pressures, and in which the frame structure is such as to reduce the number of frame parts to a. minimum, without sacrifice of strength, so that small tent structures of great strength and convenient character may be produced at a comparatively low cost. Other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the foregoing description.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. A tent structure comprising a pyramidal tent body, and an internal bracing frame for the tent body consisting of staffs at the corners of the tent body, a coupling ring uniting said staffs at their upper ends, a coupler head joining said staffs at their upper ends and holding said ring from displacement, and coupling means uniting said staffs at their lower ends.

2. A tent structure comprising a pyramidal tent body, and an internal bracing frame for the body consisting of telescopic stafis at the corners of the body, a coupling ring uniting said staffs at their upper ends, a coupler head joining said staffs at their upper ends and holding said ring from displacement, and coupling and bracing means uniting said staffs at their lower ends.

3. A tent structure comprising a pyramidal tent body, telescopic sustaining staffs at the corners of the tent body, a couplingring uniting said staffs at their upper ends, a

coupler head joining said staffs at their up per ends and holding said ring from dis placement, and telescopic connecting and bracing means between the lower ends of the staffs.

4. A tent structure comprising a pyramidal tent body, staffs having slots at their upper ends, a coupler ring engageable with said slots, and a coupler head having arms adapted for interlocking engagement with the staffs and forming latches to hold the coupler ring from displacement.

5. A tent structure comprising a pyramidal tent body, tubular stafis having slots at their upper ends, a coupler ring engageable with said slots, and a coupler head having arms adapted to fitwithin the upper ends of the staffs and to be engaged with the ring to hold the ring from displacement, said arms having latches to engage the staffs.

6. A tent structure comprising a pyramidal tent body, staffs at the corners of the tent body comprising telescopic sections, means for detachably coupling and bracing the staffs at their upper ends, and telescopic braces for uniting the staffs at their lower ends, each staff comprising telescopic sections, one of said sections being hinged to a staff and the other section detachably engageable with another staff.

7. A sustaining frame for tents comprising staffs, braces for connecting the staffs at their lower ends, a coupler ring detachably engaging the upper ends of the staffs, and a coupler head having arms detachably engaging the upper ends of the staffs and forming latches holding the ring from displacement.

I In testimony. whereof I affix my signature.

SIXTE ARMAND COUPAL. 

